Faith-based schools that teach creationism in science class won't receive the public funding Ontario's Progressive Conservatives have proposed, a party spokeswoman said.
“If there are schools that teach creationism in science class, they would not be eligible to be funded as part of this proposal,” Ingrid Thompson said Wednesday afternoon, clarifying controversial remarks made by PC Leader John Tory earlier in the day.
While visiting a private Jewish school in Thornhill, Ont., just north of Toronto, Tory said: "They teach evolution in the Ontario curriculum, but they also could teach the fact to the children that there are other theories that people have out there that are part of some Christian belief.”
Education Minister Kathleen Wynne, who is the Liberal candidate running against Tory in the Toronto riding of Don Valley West, told the Canadian Press that teaching creationism is allowed in Ontario schools, but only in religion classes.
Teaching creationism in science class would violate the Ontario curriculum, she said.
Tory has promised, if elected, to extend public funding to all the province's religious schools instead of just public and Catholic schools, and he has estimated it would cost about $400 million a year.
Thompson said that under the Conservative plan, schools would have to follow the Ontario curriculum in order to qualify for the money.
Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty has said the plan would lead to greater segregation among people with different backgrounds.
On Wednesday, Tory responded that McGuinty should apologize for saying that families who send their children to the Jewish school he was visiting support segregation.
The Conservative leader argued his proposal was a mark of leadership.
"I think people will respect the fact that I'm being open and honest with them, that I'm putting forward a proposal for dealing with an issue that's been around for decades — and I'm prepared to talk about it without fear-mongering during an election campaign," he said.
Green Party would restore school boards' taxation powers
Meanwhile Wednesday, Green Party Leader Frank de Jong unveiled his party's education platform at the University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.
The Green plan includes the merging of Ontario’s Catholic and public school systems, so that there would be only one publicly funded school system in each official language.
It also proposes eliminating standardized testing, capping annual university and college tuition fees at $3,000 and $700 respectively, and restoring school boards’ power to levy property taxes worth up to 5 per cent of their provincial funding.
With files from the Canadian PressRelated
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Ontario Votes 2007 »
- McGuinty wins massive majority, Tory loses seat
- Dalton McGuinty won a second majority government for the Liberals in Ontario on Wednesday night, a triumph for a party that earlier expressed fears of a drop to minority status.
- Ontario rejects electoral reform in referendum
- Ontario voters have rejected a proposed electoral reform that would have seen some provincial legislators chosen based on a party's share of the popular vote, results showed Thursday.
- Ontario voter turnout a record low
- The percentage of eligible voters casting ballots in Wednesday's Ontario election hit an all-time low despite changes introduced in an effort to boost turnout.
- Ont. Green party scores 8 per cent of vote
- No Green party candidates made it to the Ontario legislature in Wednesday's election, but that defeat was sweetened by a swell in their share of the popular vote, which more than doubled.
- McGuinty only leader not facing leadership questions
- Liberal Leader Dalton McGuinty won re-election in Ottawa South and NDP Leader Howard Hampton again won his northern Ontario riding of Kenora-Rainy River. PC Leader John Tory was defeated.
District Profiles
More Ontario Votes Headlines »
- McGuinty wins massive majority, Tory loses seat
- Dalton McGuinty won a second majority government for the Liberals in Ontario on Wednesday night, a triumph for a party that earlier expressed fears of a drop to minority status.
- Ontario rejects electoral reform in referendum
- Ontario voters have rejected a proposed electoral reform that would have seen some provincial legislators chosen based on a party's share of the popular vote, results showed Thursday.
- Ontario voter turnout a record low
- The percentage of eligible voters casting ballots in Wednesday's Ontario election hit an all-time low despite changes introduced in an effort to boost turnout.
- Ont. Green party scores 8 per cent of vote
- No Green party candidates made it to the Ontario legislature in Wednesday's election, but that defeat was sweetened by a swell in their share of the popular vote, which more than doubled.
- McGuinty only leader not facing leadership questions
- Liberal Leader Dalton McGuinty won re-election in Ottawa South and NDP Leader Howard Hampton again won his northern Ontario riding of Kenora-Rainy River. PC Leader John Tory was defeated.
