Tag: public education

International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) 2025 – CTF/FCE and CSQ denounce Canada’s absence

Montreal and Ottawa, March 21, 2025 – On the eve of the International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) 2025, the Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF/FCE) and the Centrale des syndicats du Québec (CSQ) denounce the decision of the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC) not to send a Canadian delegation.

CTF/FCE president Heidi Yetman and CSQ president Éric Gingras point out that Canada is currently experiencing an unprecedented teacher retention and recruitment crisis and that no province or territory has been spared.

“Canadians recognize the importance of public education as the foundation of a healthy and prosperous society. Education is the key to fighting disinformation and protecting democracy. We think the absence of a Canadian delegation at the ISTP will not go unnoticed and will certainly provoke negative reactions,” said Heidi Yetman.

The main causes of this crisis include a lack of ministerial support, unsustainable working conditions, and an increase in violence and aggression in the workplace.

“One might think that responsibility for education rests solely with the provinces and territories, but there’s an undeniable link between a healthy democracy and the quality of public education. That’s why we’re deeply concerned about the erosion of both if Canada is conspicuously absent from key international gatherings such as the Summit,” said CSQ president Éric Gingras.

A necessary forum

The ISTP, co-organized by Education International (EI) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), is the only forum that brings together ministers of education and spokespersons for national education unions from “top performing” countries according to PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment). All organizations take advantage of the ISTP to address the priorities of the teaching profession and share promising practices.

Not surprisingly, the United States will not participate in the ISTP 2025 either.

“Since the Trump administration came to power, it has become clear that we must break free from our dependence on the United States. Choosing to participate in discussions on stage and in international forums, even as the United States takes pride in not doing so, is a clear step in this direction and allows us to distance ourselves from an increasingly aggressive partner that tends to isolate itself,” added the CTF/FCE president.

Lastly, Eric Gingras noted that Canada will host the 51st G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta in June 2025: “It’s clear to us that education needs to be part of the discussion. This will be an opportunity for the Canadian government to demonstrate its leadership and its ability to engage in constructive dialogue, work with the other G7 countries, and propose innovative solutions to serve the interests of all peoples,” concluded the CSQ president.

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About the CTF/FCE

Founded in 1920, the CTF/FCE is a national alliance of provincial and territorial teachers’ organizations that represent over 370,000 teachers and education workers across Canada. The CTF/FCE is also an affiliate of Education International, which represents more than 32-million educators.

About the CSQ

The CSQ represents more than 225,000 members, including some 125,000 education employees. The CSQ has 11 federations that unite some 240 affiliated unions and it is affiliated with the AREQ, le mouvement des personnes retraitées CSQ. The CSQ is also active in health and social services, educational childcare services, as well as municipal, recreational, cultural, community and communications services.

Media Contacts

Nika Quintao
Director of Public Affairs
Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF/FCE)
613 688-4319
nquintao@ctf-fce-ca

Maude Messier
Press Officer
Centrale des syndicats du Québec (CSQ)
514 213-0770
messier.maude@lacsq.org

Each and every day, students, teachers, and education workers throughout our country head to class without much regard for who sits in the Prime Minister’s office, but the occupant certainly makes a difference in their lives.

This is why the Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF/FCE) is committed to working with governments of all political stripes to strengthen public education. This non-partisan position is strongest when governments share a commitment to education, which has been our experience with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Following his decision to step down, the CTF/FCE sincerely thanks the Prime Minister for his leadership, including his steadfast commitment to ensuring that the federal government contributed to quality inclusive public education for all, at home and abroad.

During the COVID-19 pandemic when most school buildings were forced to close and education was upended, Prime Minister Trudeau showed a determination to problem solve. While respecting provincial/territorial responsibility for education, he helped many schools safely re-open and stay open.

More recently, the Prime Minister, along with various key Ministers, again demonstrated real leadership by funding, and developing policy for, a much-needed national school food program; for too long, Canada has been the only G7 country without one. This is life-changing for many young people and their families, and the CTF/FCE applauds the government’s initiative. We will continue to advocate for the full implementation of this program in all provinces and territories.

Long before the pandemic and after, the Prime Minister has been very generous with his time for the CTF/FCE, engaging in dialogue on the issues that matter most to the over 370,000 teachers and educators we represent. Unlike other federal leaders, Justin Trudeau consistently made time to meet with the CTF/FCE, and members across the country, to listen to our concerns on many issues important to Canadians.

The CTF/FCE looks forward to continuing our collaboration with the Prime Minister and we wish him and his family the very best. We hope we can count on continued dialogue and partnership with his successor, the next Prime Minister of Canada, and the federal government because education is the foundation of healthy communities and thriving democracies. In fact, it is the bedrock of Canada’s future.

Thank you, Prime Minister. You have made a very positive difference.

Heidi Yetman, CTF/FCE President
Cassandra Hallett, CTF/FCE Executive Director

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About the CTF/FCE

Founded in 1920, the CTF/FCE is a national alliance of provincial and territorial teachers’ organizations that represent over 365,000 teachers and education workers across Canada. The CTF/FCE is also an affiliate of Education International, which represents more than 32-million educators.

Media Contact

Nika Quintao, Director of Public Affairs
Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF/FCE)
nquintao@ctf-fce.ca  
Mobile: 613-688-4319

MEDIA ALERT: Elected Leaders to Talk Teacher Recruitment and Retention Crisis on World Teachers’ Day

OTTAWA, October 3, 2023 – The Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF/FCE) welcomes Members of Parliament (MPs) and education stakeholders to its World Teachers’ Day town hall event in Ottawa, “The Empty Classroom: Challenges and Solutions to the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Crisis.”

This celebration of the teaching profession will include a panel discussion, moderated by CTF/FCE President Heidi Yetman. The panel will be a unique opportunity for MPs and education stakeholders to listen to teachers’ voices, address their questions, and share possible approaches and strategies to improve working conditions and thereby address recruitment and retention challenges facing Canada’s entire education community.

Q & A will follow the panel discussion.

Speakers include:

Martin Shields, MP for Bow River
Jenica Atwin, MP for Fredericton
Niki Ashton, MP for Churchill–Keewatinook Aski
Carol Sarich, President of the Canadian Association of Principals
Kristina Salciccioli, Department Head, Cathedral High School, Hamilton, Ontario, and Instructor and Ph. D Candidate, Faculty of Education, Brock University.

Date

October 5, 2023

Time

5:30 p.m. ET

Location

The event will be held in person at La Nouvelle Scène Gilles Desjardins, 333 King Edward Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

The town hall will also be livestreamed via Zoom (The Zoom link will be shared with registered participants two days prior to the event). A recording of the event will be available after.

Bilingual Event: This event will be conducted in both English and French with simultaneous interpretation.

Registration: Media must register for the event in advance through the event webpage.

About the CTF/FCE

Media contact

Nika Quintao, Director of Public Affairs
Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF/FCE)
Contact
Mobile: 613-606-7809

The Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF/FCE) is alarmed by the rise of organized hate across the country. Along with the teachers’ organizations we represent in every province and territory, the CTF/FCE opposes any agendas that aim to intimidate vulnerable people, spread misinformation, and propagate hate. We stand in solidarity with students, families, educators, and the vast majority of Canadians in the protection of 2SLGBTQQIA+ rights.

Over one million Canadians identify as members of the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community. Attacks on them are an attack on our collective freedom and peace. We urge all Canadians, regardless of your political or religious affiliation to reflect on how intimidation poisons the wellsprings of our national identity. We thrive as a nation due to our inclusivity and ability to embrace change. Canadian farmers understand this logic better than anyone: a field with diverse crops yields the richest soil. A country is no different.

The CTF/FCE is disturbed by various provincial governments across this country changing policies in education that cause harm to already vulnerable populations, particularly sexual and gender diverse students and school staff. We are equally troubled by maligned and misinformed groups organizing aggressive hate-filled events.

The CTF/FCE represents over 365,000 teachers from coast to coast to coast, and our policy is clear. The CTF/FCE advocates for educational systems that are safe, welcoming, inclusive, and affirming for people of all gender identities.

We are seeing a disturbing trend emerging that defies common sense:

On June 8, the New Brunswick government revised an education policy which would forbid New Brunswick teachers from using students’ preferred pronouns if they are under 16 years of age, without parental consent.

This summer, during their Manitoba election campaign, Conservatives promised to expand parental rights by changing the Manitoba Public Schools Act.

On August 22, 2023, the Saskatchewan Minister of Education announced a near identical policy to New Brunswick’s.

On August 28, 2023, the Ontario Minister of Education told reporters he believes parents should be told if their child chooses to use a different pronoun at school.

Now, in Alberta, a hate group is organizing an anti “sex-education” convoy targeting teachers and their association in that province.

These actions are not coincidences, and their perpetrators seem to ignore the fact that many teachers are in fact parents.

The CTF/FCE recognizes the immeasurable role most parents play in their children’s upbringing and safety, and safe schools are at the foundation of a peaceful country. To ensure this, teachers need to be trusted as the professionals they are to do what is best for students while in their care.

On October 5, we celebrate World Teachers’ Day and recognize the monumental and noble work of educators everywhere.

Join the celebration HERE.

About the CTF/FCE

Media contact

Nika Quintao, Director of Public Affairs
Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF/FCE)
Contact
Mobile: 613-606-7809

Quebec’s Heidi Yetman begins her term as President of the Canadian Teachers’ Federation

Ottawa, July 14, 2023 – Heidi Yetman, former President of the Quebec Provincial Association of Teachers (QPAT), began her two-year term as President of the Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF/FCE) following the Annual General Meeting in Ottawa.

Yetman succeeds outgoing President Sam Hammond.

“I am truly humbled to be stepping into Sam Hammond’s shoes as President of the CTF/FCE,” says Heidi. “Sam has been an extraordinary leader and a strong voice for the Federation, and I am honoured and excited to be able to continue the incredible work. Education across this country is facing significant challenges and our Federation will have an important role to play in ensuring that quality publicly funded public education becomes a true priority. I look forward to working with this talented Executive and amazing staff team to provide the best possible representation for teachers from all provinces and territories of Canada.”

Before becoming QPAT President, Heidi was president of the Pearson Teachers’ Union in Montreal after teaching Science and Art for 23 years at the high-school level. She has served as a Vice-President of the CTF/FCE from 2018 to 2019 and again beginning in 2021 before being elected as President-Designate in July 2022. From 2021-2023, she held dual roles of Executive liaison for the CTF/FCE’s Advisory Committee on the Status of Women and Advisory Committee on French as a First Language.

In addition to various committee work, Heidi attended the Education International (EI) 2019 8^th World Congress in Bangkok, Thailand where she facilitated a women’s caucus session. Her journey has also led her to moderate the 2019 AGM Women’s Caucus and a women’s panel at the CTF/FCE Women’s Symposium. In 2020, Heidi was a keynote speaker at the Manitoba Teachers’ Society Women’s Symposium.

The following newly elected CTF/FCE Vice-Presidents will join President Heidi Yetman and Executive Director Cassandra Hallett to form the Executive team:

Anne Vinet-Roy, Vice-President (Association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens)
Connie Keating, Vice-President (New Brunswick Teachers’ Association)
Jenny Regal, Vice-President (The Alberta Teachers’ Association)
Justin Matchett, Vice-President (Nunavut Teachers’ Association)
Karen Littlewood, Vice-President (Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation)

In addition to the newly elected slate of Vice-Presidents, Shelley L. Morse, a member of the Nova Scotia Teachers Union and a former president of the CTF/FCE, was elected as the CTF/FCE candidate for the EI’s Executive Board at next year’s 10^th World Congress in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

About the CTF/FCE

Media contact

Nika Quintao, Director of Public Affairs
Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF/FCE)
Contact
Mobile: 613-606-7809

Canadian Teachers’ Federation Statement on Student Data Protection

Ottawa, July 10, 2023 – The COVID-19 pandemic has been an unprecedented disruptor to in-person education throughout the world and Canada was no exception. With little to no notice at all, teachers across the country found themselves teaching their students through computer screens and apps instead of in their classrooms. Switching to virtual learning created many challenges, such as securing sufficient devices and high-speed internet access for teachers and students, but the damaging legacy of the sudden change continues.

Emergency remote virtual learning became part of the daily routine of secondary, elementary, and even kindergarten students. But even as the severity of the pandemic waned, and students returned to in-person learning, repercussions of rash solutions introduced in 2020 remain. Those digital solutions, although practical to making virtual teaching and learning possible when being in school was not, have led to massive data trails left by students. Like easily found breadcrumbs, these trails have been gobbled up by edu-businesses looking to profit off the backs of students. From student assessment data to personal details, companies have obtained troves of information to monetize children and publicly funded public education.

Although technology companies have been working their way into classrooms for some time now, the pandemic fast-tracked student data collection. Governments enthusiastically invited big tech into the classroom, and the technological advances that made it possible for students and teachers to stay somewhat connected while school buildings were closed came at the cost of privacy and the very principles of publicly funded public education.

When schools pivoted to emergency remote-learning, tech companies had the opportunity to analyse data streams produced by students the same way they analyse the rest of the Internet – for marketing purposes. Suddenly, students became vulnerable like never before.

The mere existence of data is not the concern, but the way it is handled and sold is. Student assessment data only belongs in the hands of qualified teachers and public institutions that use it to assess student learning needs and allocate resources accordingly. When student data is used to market private tutoring services, sell learning apps, or become an indicator of neighbourhood profitability for the real estate industry, privatization and monetization threaten both equity and the very core of quality public education.

In response to the increasing and unchecked monetization of student data, the Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF/FCE) strongly condemns any use of student assessment data for corporate profit. We call on the provincial and territorial governments to act by taking steps to protect privacy and prevent the misuse of student data. The CTF/FCE also calls upon the federal government to pass Bill C-27 to comprehensively protect consumer privacy and data of all Canadians.

While the CTF/FCE fully supports the use of appropriate technology in the professionally trained hands of teachers to help educate Canada’s youth, a line must be drawn when technology becomes a gateway to profiteering from students and our publicly funded public education systems. We must act now to expel edu-businesses from our schools to once again make classrooms safe places to teach and learn, putting students and public education before profit.

About the CTF/FCE

Media contact

Nika Quintao, Director of Public Affairs
Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF/FCE)
Contact
Mobile: 613-606-7809