The Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB) Chair has responded to Premier Doug Ford government’s moves to eliminate the role of trustees in the provincial school system.
Queen’s Park has already managed – via Bill 100 – to eliminate the ‘elected’ office of the Durham Regional Chair with a ‘selected’ appointee.
Now, Education Minister Paul Calandra has signaled his inclination to largely do away with the role of elected school board trustees, citing that a modern $43-billion education budget no longer requires delivery by trustees.
Role of Trustees ‘Cloudy’
“Though the conditions around serving in this role have become cloudy, and at times stormy, I truly believe that the the sun will shine again,” said DCDSB Chair Morgan Ste. Marie.
“We have seen several changes in the last few months regarding the governance role elected trustees serve,” he pointed out in a report on the DCDSB regular board meeting of May 25.
“At its heart, a school board trustee, financial trustee or any other trustee protects the interests and makes decisions on behalf of the people who granted them their trust,” said Ste. Marie.
“This definition remains the same for our role. For Catholic School Boards, the Confederation Act of 1867 and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms of 1982 created that relationship, where voters entrust trustees to govern the Catholic education system in accordance with our Catholic beliefs. Every four years, our electors decide who
will continue that responsibility,” Ste. Marie pointed out.
Nominations Open
He said nominations for Catholic School Board Trustees are now open. “If you want to seek your community’s trust and help bring advocacy, transparency, accountability and fiscal responsibility to our faith based system, contact your municipal office. The deadline is August 21, 2026”.
The board meeting coincided with the Feast of St. Gregory the VII, who as Pope in the year 1079, established regulated Cathedral schools.
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