Politics
Monday December 17, 2001
ONTARIO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL TAX CREDIT APPROVED WITH MINIMAL RESTRICTIONS
TODAY'S HEADLINES
E-MAIL
PRINT
TORONTO, December 17, 2001 (LSN.ca) - Ontario Finance Minister Jim Flaherty faced heavy opposition but came out the winner during intense Ontario cabinet discussions over the independent schools tax credit last week. The Canadian Press reports that at a closed cabinet meeting Wednesday, several provincial ministers attempted to attach restrictions to the tax credit including requirements that eligible independent schools hire certified teachers and follow the Ontario curriculum. However, CP reports that Flaherty was successful in fighting off those restrictions which would have negated much of the parental choice purpose of the independent schools.
Today's government release on the Equity in Tax Education program states that independent school students will not be mandated to take provincial testing. Government requirements for the funding program are:
1) Employees of the independent schools who come into contact with students must submit to criminal record checks.
2) Eligible courses must be the same length of time as those for publicly funded programs under the Education Act.
3) Eligible schools must provide a statement of information to parents and guardians about the school's operations, staff, policies and programs.
Explaining his position to reporters prior to the meeting Flaherty said, "The purpose of the credit is choice for parents, that's why the credit flows to parents. My approach to regulation in that regard is to make sure that the choice is emphasized and maintained." Tighter regulations would amount to having "a fifth public school system" and "interference by government in the operation of private schools," said Flaherty.
See today's Finance Ministry release with the details of the new program (Adobe Acrobat format)
http://www.gov.on.ca/FIN/english/tb01e9.pdf
Back to TopLatest Headlines
- BREAKING: US Congress Passes Health Care Reform Bill 220 to 215
- Stupak Amendment to Health Care Bill Passes 240 - 194 Saturday Evening
- Major Health Care Development - Pro-Life Stupak Amendment Vote OK'd for Today
- NY Times: Dems Banking on Later Squeezing Pro-Life Language Out of Bill in Committee
- USCCB Spokesman: "Definitely Not True" that Bishops Support Bill As it Stands
- TIME Got it Wrong - Prof. George Opposed Grandiose Kennedy Funeral
- USCCB Condemnation Tears Facade off "Phony" Abortion Compromise for Health Bill
- Health Care Bill Includes Monthly Abortion Premium: House Minority Leader Boehner
- TIME Article Setting Burke Against O'Malley Called "Tactical strike" on Behalf of Catholic Left
- Dirty Fighting on Abortion Funding: Word-Games and Health-Care Theatrics Boggle the Mind
- Commentary on November 6 News
- Note to LifeSiteNews Subscribers with Rogers email addresses
- New York Gov. Declares Nov. 10 Extraordinary Legislative Session for Same-Sex "Marriage"
- Washington's Pro-Family Amendment Effort Defeated - R-71 Almost Certain to Pass
- Vote Pushed Back on Canadian Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide Bill to Dec. 2
- Elderly U.K. Couple in Good Health Commit Suicide, Complain of Assisted Suicide Law
- Texas Late-Term Abortionist and Baptist Minister Admits: "Am I killing? Yes, I am"
- New Evidence Contradicts CCHD's Findings on Accused Pro-Abortion Partner
- Quebec Priest Denies Possibility of Sexual Reorientation Therapy on TV
- New Hampshire Same-Sex "Marriage" Law in Crosshairs after Maine's Law Crumbles
- Brooklyn Bishop Criticized for Recorded Message Praising Pro-Abortion Politician
- First Group of "Traditionalist" Anglicans in Britain Votes to Enter Catholic Church
Most Read this Week
- Planned Parenthood Director Resigns after Watching Ultrasound of Abortion Procedure
- Nun Defiant Following Rebuke, but Stops Abortion Escorting
- Breaking: Dominican Community Apologizes for Nun Caught Acting as Abortion Escort
- Over 200 Christendom College Students Protest Abortion at Planned Parenthood Clinic
- TIME Article Setting Burke Against O'Malley Called "Tactical strike" on Behalf of Catholics Left
- Scottish Gay Rights Activists Found Guilty of Pedophilia Sentenced to Life Imprisonment
- Newly Identified Corporate Supporters of Planned Parenthood Named
- Major Health Care Bill Development - Stupak Hyde Amendment Vote OK'd
- Health Care Bill Includes Monthly Abortion Premium: House Minority Leader Boehner
- Canadian MP Launches Petition to Stop Federal Funding of Planned Parenthood
MORE NEWS: 
LifeSiteNews.com Home Page Last 10 Days Archives Special Reports
Copyright © LifeSiteNews.com. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives License. You may republish this article or portions of it without request provided the content is not altered and it is clearly attributed to "LifeSiteNews.com". Any website publishing of complete or large portions of original LifeSiteNews articles MUST additionally include a live link to www.LifeSiteNews.com. The link is not required for excerpts. Republishing of articles on LifeSiteNews.com from other sources as noted is subject to the conditions of those sources.