"Northern" Voice

The Brock Citizen has reported that elected township officials have now been drawn into the brouhaha regarding the distribution of trustees on the Durham District Catholic School Board. Although largely unnoticed, a similar discussion recently took place at the Durham District School Board. In fact, these discussions have been triggered across the province by a Ministry of Education regulation that requires school districts to calculate trustee entitlement and distribution using an established provincial formula to analyze February data provided by MPAC. In the case of the DDSB, the public board, this calculation confirmed the current allocation of eleven trustees.  However, the calculation indicated that Whitby’s allocation should be increased from two to three trustees and that representation in the three northern municipalities should be reduced from two to one. When the matter was considered by the board, it was quickly decided that the current distribution should be maintained. By exercising a provision in the Education Act, Scugog was declared a "low population area" with its trustee being maintained while Brock and Uxbridge remained combined and allocated one trustee. This decision was unanimously supported by the trustees.

 

Concern was expressed however, about the timing of this review. The Ministry of Education requires school districts to report the decision on trustee distribution by April of any municipal election year. This is awkward. Not only have nominations for the upcoming election been open for several months but more importantly there is limited time for public consultation should the MPAC numbers received in February indicate a need to consider possible redistribution of representation. In this regard, the DDSB has written to the Minister of Education urging that this determination be considered in the year prior to a municipal election.

 

Some have characterized this as a battle between south and north. This is unfortunate. Understanding and appreciating another's point of view is critical. It is not difficult to understand that the resident of a mushrooming underserviced urban development might seek greater voice? The concern of individuals living in rural areas with declining population is equally understandable. In my experience, most folks rise above the numbers and try to do the right thing. Indeed, Canada has been built on a culture of understanding and compromise.