Radio

Links to radio programs relevant to the push for a single public school system in Ontario.  Please
contribute to the completeness of this page by sending us an email with the link to any relevant radio programs you find.

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2017

• "The BIG Question; Should we still be publicly funding Catholic Schools?", News & Views with Rob Snow with host Rob Snow, CFRA, 2017-04-03.
  • Leonard Baak of OneSchoolSystem.org and Luke Fevin of Alberta Parents for Unbiased Public Inclusive Learning (A PUPIL) talk to Rob Snow about whether the time has come for one school system in Ontario and Alberta.

2014

• "If you send your child to a Catholic school, should they be able to opt out of everything Catholic there?", The 180 with host Jim Brown, CBC Radio One, 2014-04-11.
  • A parent in Ontario has won a court case allowing his children to opt out of all the religious trappings of the Catholic school they attend. We speak to a parent who fought a similar battle to find out why parents would want to send a child to a school underpinned by a religion they don't follow.

• "Students can be excused from all religious aspects at Catholic schools", Morning North with host Markus Schwabe, CBC Radio One, 2014-04-11.
  • An Ontario court decision gives students the right to be excused from all religious aspects of school life at a publicly-funded Catholic school. We spoke about the ruling with Jody Cameron, the chair of the Sudbury Catholic School Board.

• "Courts set precedent by exempting Catholic high school student from mass", The Morning Edition - K-W with host , CBC Radio One, 2014-04-10.
  • Religious retreats and masses count as "programming" under the Education Act. This means a Brampton high school student is exempt from attending those activities despite electing to go to a Catholic school. What are the implications in Waterloo Region?

• "Catholic School Exemptions", Metro Morning with host Matt Galloway, CBC Radio One Toronto, 2014-04-09.
  • Matt Galloway spoke with Nathaniel Erskine-Smith. He was the lawyer for a Brampton father who won a court ruling, exempting his non-Catholic son from attending Catholic services and retreats.

• "April 9, 2014", The Motts with host Carol and Paul Mott, Web-based radio, 2014-04-09.
  • Carol and Paul talk to OneSchoolSystem.org president Leonard Baak about the ramifications of a recent Ontario Superior Court decision that allows children to opt out of religious programs at Ontario's publicly funded Catholic high schools.

• "The Victim's Bill of Rights, the Quebec election results and how millenials view Gen X and baby boomers on Tuesday's Talk to the Hand", Talk to the Hand with host Ed Hand, 1310 News, 2014-04-08.
  • Leonard Baak of OneSchoolSystem.org talks to Ed about an Ontario Superior Court ruling which found parents with children in the Catholic board have the right to opt out of religious courses and programs.

2013

• "Open lines with Ontario's next premier", Ontario Today with host Kathleen Petty, CBC Radio One, 2013-01-31.
  • Kathleen Wynne answers callers' questions about the duplication in Ontario's school system at around 21:05 into the interview.

2012

• "No Support for School Board Merger", 98 The Beach News with host Unknown, 98 The Beach Owen Sound, 2012-10-18.
  • Bruce Grey Catholic Board does not like idea to merge with Bluewater Public Board.

• "Oct 17 2012 Podcast", Live Drive with John Tory with host John Tory, Newstalk 1010 Toronto, 2012-10-17.
  • Catholic school funding challenge.

• "Gay-Straight Alliance & Catholic School Funding", The Current with host Anna Maria Tremonti, CBC Radio One, 2012-05-31.
  • A controversy in Ontario is bubbling over a law that would force Catholic Schools to embrace Gay-Straight-Alliance student clubs as part of legislation to combat bullying. That's prompted an outcry from Catholic leaders who say sanctioning the word gay infringes on religious freedoms. But while some are looking at the Charter, others are looking at their calculators. Will this controversy intensify the fight to end a separate school system?

• "May 30 2012 Podcast", Jim Richards Showgram with host Jim Richards, Newstalk 1010 Toronto, 2012-05-30.
  • Has the public funding of Catholic schools become destructive to fundamental human rights?

• "May 29 Hour 1", The Matt Holmes Show with host Matt Holmes, AM 900 CHML Hamilton, 2012-05-29.
  • In this hour, Matt speaks with Leonard Baak, President of OneSchoolSystem.org about whether or not Catholic schools should be funded.

• "Leonard Baak - President, OneSchoolSystem.org & Kathy Burtnik - Vice-President, Ontario Catholic School Trustees' Association.", The John Oakley Show with host John Oakley, AM 640 Talk Radio Toronto, 2012-05-25.
  • Merging the school boards could save the province millions. Why are some opposed to the idea?

2011

• "Should the province fund two school systems?", Metro Morning with host Matt Galloway, CBC Radio One Toronto, 2011-09-23.
  • Host Matt Galloway spoke with Nancy Kirby, president of the Ontario Catholic School Trustees' Association, about the ongoing debate about whether the province should fund two schools systems.

• "Unfair System", Metro Morning with host Karen Horsman, CBC Radio One Toronto, 2011-09-22.
  • Guest host Karen Horsman spoke about public funding for Catholic schools, with Joe Killoran, he is a former Catholic school teacher and now works for the TDSB. He is a member of the Canadian Secular Alliance. And with Leonard Baak, he is the president of "Education Equality in Ontario".

Television

Links to television programs relevant to the push for a single public school system in Ontario.  Please
contribute to the completeness of this page by sending us an email with the link to any relevant television programs you find.

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2014

• "CTV Kitchener: Catholic School Funding, Part 3", CTV Kitchener News with host Frank Lynn, CTV Kitchener, 2014-04-10.
  • Polls show no clear answer on whether the public wants Ontario to keep funding Catholic schools. Frank Lynn concludes a series.

• "CTV Kitchener: Catholic School Funding, Part 2", CTV Kitchener News with host Frank Lynn, CTV Kitchener, 2014-04-09.
  • What would be the fiscal benefit of ending Catholic schools? As Frank Lynn explains in the second part of a series, it depends who you ask.

• "Too much accommodation?", Straight Talk and Hard News with host Unknown, Sun News, 2014-04-09.
  • A Catholic school student wants an exemption from all religious activities on campus. Is this reasonable?

• "CTV Kitchener: Catholic School Funding, Part 1", CTV Kitchener News with host Frank Lynn, CTV Kitchener, 2014-04-08.
  • The future of Catholic education could be an issue in the next provincial election. Frank Lynn has more in the first part of a series.

2012

• "Catholic funding challenge", CBC News with host Unknown, CBC News, 2012-10-17.
  • A fight over funding for Ontario's Catholic schools has reached the courts. Jeff Semple reports.

• "Lawsuit against Catholic Schools", CTV News with host Marcia MacMillan, CTV News Channel, 2012-10-17.
  • Lawyer Andrew Lokan discusses why the woman wants Ontario to stop funding Catholic schools and why he is getting involved in the case.

• "Divided Alliances", The Agenda with host Steve Paikin, TV Ontario, 2012-06-06.
  • Not in my school: The Agenda examines the debate over gay-straight alliances, and how that has reignited the separate school funding issue.

• "A Post-Drummond Ontario", The Agenda with host Piya Chattopadhyay, TV Ontario, 2012-02-15.
  • The long-awaited Drummond Report is out. Now what?

• "Separate, With Equal School Funding", The Agenda with host Steve Paikin, TV Ontario, 2012-02-07.
  • An education battle for the ages: the controversial public funding of Ontario's Catholic school system.

• "Bill Davis on Full Funding for Catholic Schools", The Agenda with host Steve Paikin, TV Ontario, 2009-06-10.
  • Former Premier Bill Davis talks about his decision to extend full funding for Catholic schools.