Ford is spending 1$ million, and counting, to spin his callous classroom cuts

QUEEN’S PARK — Today in question period, Ontario NDP Education critic Marit Stiles slammed the Ford Conservatives for spending $1 million, and counting, on spinning their callous cuts to education.

Yesterday, the NDP revealed that the Ford Conservatives have racked up a provincial tab of $973,000 on their so-called education consultations. Since then, media reports have revealed that the Conservatives outsourced some of the work to a public relations firm, on a contract that remains open, racking up costs to spin opinions, rather than gather them.

“It was clear from the start that the Ford Conservatives’ education consultation was nothing more than a public relations exercise, while the real scheme for classroom cuts and lost jobs came together behind closed doors,” said Stiles. “The consultation asked about improving outcomes in math; their plan cuts teachers and education workers, and adds the distraction of large classes.”

The Ford Conservatives also spent much more than the $200,000 they budgeted for the education consultations.

“Adding insult to injury, Doug Ford is forcing school boards to make cuts in the classroom, while his own flawed consultation came in 300-per-cent over budget. If they want some free feedback on their education plan and its impacts, they don’t have to look very far: Just ask one of the 23 teachers declared redundant in Simcoe County last week despite growing enrolment; or the counsellors and speech language pathologists let go in Halton; or one of the students at Brampton Centennial who will lose 30 course options next year.

“Given the turmoil the government has brought to our schools, does Doug Ford think this million-dollar survey was money well spent?”