In his closing remarks to Annual Meeting delegates, President Hammond’s comments were wide-ranging. President Hammond:
- Remarked favourably on the news that the Canadian federal government is in consultation with Indigenous peoples to establish a national statutory holiday for Truth and Reconciliation;
- Acknowledged the work of delegates and local leaders who worked hard to make the revocation of Ontario’s curriculum a high profile issue in the news this week;
- Thanked ETFO parliamentarians for their skilled facilitation of Annual Meeting debate, as well as keynote speakers over the last four days (i.e., Andrea Horwath, Candy Palmater, Clint Johnston, Chris Cowley and Chris Buckley);
- Presented a Health Curriculum petition with almost 1,000 signatures to NDP MPP Terence Kernaghan to take back to Queen’s Park;
- Welcomed the actions of thirty school boards that made public statements objecting to the government’s revocation of the 2015 Health and Physical Education; and
- Reminded delegates that municipal and school board elections take place this fall, which is provides an opportunity to work actively for candidates around the province who support our students and public education.
President Hammond concluded his address by urging delegates to be ready for whatever challenges the new provincial government has for students and educators over the next four years and reminding them that ETFO “will always stand up for our public schools.”
