Co-Captain of Canada, Doug Ford: Focus Ontario
TORONTO – For Canada and Canadians, the first five months of 2025 have seen some defining moments and themes in the development of our country, not least of which is the leadership in our governance model and in the priorizing of “national goals”. Premier Doug Ford, for a while, giving the near collapse of our federal authority, essentially forced him to play the role of Horatio at the Bridge.
Now that the political process has installed a replacement for the former leader, who had exhausted the general population’s tolerance for dysfunctionality of purpose and process, from domestic and external challenges, he is able to turn his attention to building and reinforcing the Province’s “economic and social infrastructure”. It may call for tough decisions.
His budget, tabled earlier this month, highlighted projected revenues of $219.9 Billion (only $38.8 Billion in direct transfers from the Federal government, while the outlook for expenditures was in the $232.5 Billion range. The shortfall (deficit) is projected at $14.6 Billion.
As outline in the Budget presentation, (2025 Ontario Budget: A Plan to Protect Ontario). The government broke down its sectors for annual expenditures into six Base Programs: (1) Health- $91.1 billion; (2) Education – $ 41.0 Billion; (3) Post Secondary -$13.0 Billion; (4) children, community and Social Services – $20.4 Billion; (5) Justice $6.7; (6) Other Programs – $44.1Billion.
Without saying as much, the government in affirming that that this is a big bundle of taxpayers’ earnings which they, their Departments and “agents” spend on our behalf, acknowledged a responsibility for vigilance and accountability.
Unsurprisingly, they signaled a warning to the education sector that the magnifying glass would hover over school boards, senior administrators (and staff, perhaps including their union representatives) and trustees. Some of the 72 school boards – responsible for educating more than two million students have attracted unflattering attention for their priorities and management outcomes. Some of them deserve more scrutiny than others.
Education Minister Calandra has placed one board under supervision, caused an investigation into the financial administration of at least three others and intimated there might be more to come. As per the pie chart below (Published plans and annual reports 2024–2025: Ministry of Education),the provinces boards receive substantial funds to educate our children for the society and marketplace of today and tomorrow. His warning came with an admonition that they spend our money wisely.
He will not have been pleased to learn that some administrators and trustees seem to have forgotten that boards cannot run deficits. The Toronto Catholic District School Board in 2024 reported to trustees that its $100 million surplus had vanished into ether; it became a $58 million deficit by year end. The Toronto Public District School Board has been losing students and teacher in part due to the blackboard jungle (1960s movie on inner-city schools) the entire decade.
Good on the Premier and the Minister for taking these themes seriously.
