Photo: Aida Azarakhsh

ELEMENTARY TEACHERS’ FEDERATION OF ONTARIO

REPORT TO THE 2015 ANNUAL MEETING

Advancing and Protecting Our Union, Our Values and Our Profession

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the professional development learning. Training 
included presentations on teachable moments from 
the play, residential school impacts and addressing 
stereotypes. Leaders also shared FNMI education 
best practices and teaching strategies. ETFO estab-
lished a website at http://www.spirithorse.ca featur-
ing tour dates and locations, online professional 
development/learning, classroom resources and 
ways for students to post comments to the cast 
arising from the play. 

The spring tour was launched at Western 
University’s Faculty of Education in the presence of 
the Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant 
Governor of Ontario, Regional Chief Stan Beardy of 
the Chiefs of Ontario and Grand Chief Gord Peters 
of the Association of Iroquois and Allied Indians. 

Rethinking White Privilege

ETFO’s new workshop, Re-Thinking White Privilege, 
was launched at the fall Leadership 2014 confer-
ence, with all local leaders, status of women chairs 
and social justice and equity chairs attending the 
sessions. The workshop has since been offered 
to local executives, local stewards and members 
through the Equity Workshop series, reaching 
over 450 members. Interesting and searching 
conversations have flowed from the workshop. A 
print resource to support the work on white privi-
lege was prepared with input from members for 
launch at ETFO’s 2015 Annual Meeting. It offers 
further reflection and concrete suggestions for 
grappling with the issues of privilege and racism 
in educators’ practice.

Everyone Is Able Launch

Everyone Is Able is a new ETFO resource devel-
oped to increase awareness and understanding 
of abilities/disabilities. At its heart is a documen-
tary video featuring interviews with ETFO mem-

bers, David C. Onley, former Lieutenant Governor 
of Ontario, and others. Members and filmmaker 
Karen Shopsowitz attended the video’s official 
launch last fall at a screening and reception held 
at ETFO provincial office.

Everyone Is Able is designed to: challenge think-
ing, assumptions and stereotypes about ability/
disability; raise awareness of the issues around 
ability/disability; and inspire us to take action 
to create change. The resource includes a DVD 
and a CD guidebook that educators can use in 
their classrooms with students. These resources 
challenge ETFO members to remove barriers and 
change attitudes towards people with disabilities.

PrideHouse Toronto – An LGBTQ-

friendly Pan Am Games

As a founding member of PrideHouse Toronto, 
ETFO worked with a coalition of groups to make the 
TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games the 
most inclusive multi-sport games ever for lesbian, 
gay, bisexual, transgender and queer or question-
ing (LGBTQ) people. PrideHouse Toronto, whose 
motto is “A place for all in sport,” is part of an inter-