Government-sponsored religious discrimination by funding a Catholic separate school system in Ontario — which gives exclusive, preferential treatment to one religious group — is a violation of the global human right of freedom of religion or belief, an international embarrassment, a financial disaster and a moral disgrace. The Ontario government can and should pass legislation that stops public funding of a second, non-public school system.
Ontario MPP Jessica Bell (NDP University-Rosedale) has agreed to present a petition at Queen’s Park, calling for the elimination of public funding for the Catholic School systems. The signature of Ontario residents will help to ensure that this petition is presented in the provincial legislature and will attract media attention and raise public awareness. This is another step in the eventual, inevitable withdrawal of discriminatory public funding for a school system that privileges a single religion over all other beliefs including non-belief.
We need your assistance in circulating physical copies of the downloadable petition (see comments below) and returning them by October 1, 2023 to:
Petitions: Centre for Inquiry Canada
PO Box 83045, Ottawa RPO Bank Walkley
Ontario K1V 1A3
Help us to get signatures by sharing the petition on social media, through your website, in person at any events you attend, and by requesting that your family and friends sign and share it.
According to rules of the Ontario Legislative Assembly, to be presented a petition must:
- Ask for an action that is within the jurisdiction of the Legislative Assembly.
- Use clear and respectful language.
- Include the petition text at the top of every page of signatures.
- All signatures must be original. They must be written directly on the petition.
- Each petitioner must print their name and address and sign their name under the text of the petition.
- Petitioners must be residents of Ontario.
- The petition must be addressed to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.
- The petition must be written, typewritten, or printed. Emailed, faxed, photocopied, or online petitions are not allowed.
Please note: Do not change or annotate the petition. Any changes, including written notations may invalidate the form, including all signatures on the page. If you have technical questions contact Petitions@Centreforinquiry.ca