News

TORONTO, February 19, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) – At its annual general meeting next month, the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association (OECTA) will consider a resolution to promote homosexual ‘marriage’.  The resolution (no. 151) put forward by OECTA’s own Human Rights Committee states: “That the Association communicate with the federal government its support for the passing of the legislation changing the definition of marriage to allow for same-sex unions.” 

The proposed OECTA ‘action directive’ is offensive to many faithful Catholic teachers forced to belong to the association and pay dues to it.  Several Catholic teachers who are part of the association communicated to LifeSiteNews.com that they were “horrified” by the measure, and similar proposals to promote homosexuality.  However, the resolution is not the first time the controversial Catholic association has stepped into anti-Catholic territory. 

In 2002, the association came out in favour of Marc Hall, a Catholic high school student who demanded that he be permitted to bring his homosexual ‘boyfriend’ to the school prom. Last year OECTA refused to endorse four incumbent school board trustees in the Waterloo region due to their ties to Ontario’s only pro-life, pro-family political party – the Family Coalition Party. 

The OECTA Human Rights committee, according to the OECTA website, is comprised of: Michele Pierce (Ottawa-Carleton), Chairperson Solange Cote (Thunder Bay Elementary), James Lafferty (Wellington), Sheila MacMillan (Toronto Secondary), Marshall Jarvis (Provincial Executive) and Brenda Carrigan, (Secretariat). 

LifeSiteNews.com contacted Carrigan for comment but she refused to address the issue saying, “you’re talking to a staff member but should be talking to someone on the political end.” OECTA First Vice President Elaine MacNeil acknowledged the resolution and told LifeSiteNews.com resolutions are not ruled out of order before the meeting and that any resolution brought forward to the meeting could be passed.

The members of the provincial executive and their email addresses are listed here.

To express concerns:
[email protected]
Call: 1-800-268-7230 , 416-925-2493 Fax: 416-925-7764