Calling on the Federal Minister of Public Safety
As GAJE members know, CIJA – The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs – some months ago launched a Task Force on Affordable Jewish Education. One of the key issues on the task force’s agenda is persuading the federal government to update the current Security Infrastructure Program. The program provides critically vital support to our community.
Communal security measures are very much in evidence these days of the Yamim Nora’im. Many synagogues have engaged extra police presence, adding to other sophisticated security measures. Of course, these special measures strain our institutions’ budgets.
As in the past, CIJA has asked GAJE to encourage our members to participate in its campaign to broaden the scope of federal funding available to our synagogues and schools. We are pleased to do so.
Enhancing support to our community institutions for the various safety measures they must undertake does no doubt improve safety and security. It could also help alleviate the financial burden upon our schools endeavoring within already stretched budgets to keep our families, children and grandchildren safe.
We therefore urge GAJE members to please click here to send an email to the Minister of Public Safety. We need to ensure he hears as many grassroots voices as possible.
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The Task Force is also weighing options to convince the Ontario Government to end its discriminatory practices in directing health support payments to the schools of children with special needs. Special needs students attending school within a Ministry of Education funded school board receive substantially more support than special needs children attending independent schools.
This is simply unacceptable.
The Government of Ontario should not differentiate among children with special needs. They are all children of Ontario.
In an upcoming update we will report to members of CIJA’s plans to try to remedy the current inequitable situation.
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May the coming Year, 5777, bring us closer to our goal of affordable Jewish education.
Shabbat shalom.
GAJE
Grassroots for Affordable Jewish Education 