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Marit Stiles and Karen Brown posing at ETFO headquarters
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Your Federation: Winter 2022

ETFO Voice
ETFO Voice Winter 2022

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Fall Representative Council

ETFO’s fall Representative Council meetings were held on October 19 and 20, 2022 at the provincial office. President Karen Brown reported on bargaining and reflected on the provincial government and its combative approach to public education and other public services. She thanked local leaders and members for their important contributions to public schools across the province and said, “We will continue to put forward positive messages about public education and the important work of our members.”

NDP Leadership candidate Marit Stiles was ETFO’s Representative Council guest speaker. She spoke about NDP support for educators and how we can work together to protect Ontario’s world-renowned public schools. Stiles praised educators and thanked them for going above and beyond for children and families during the pandemic and this year as many students struggle with the return to “normal.” “We need to build across sectors and across labour,” she concluded, “show people that we can expect more and we can get it done.”

ETFO Humanity Fund

The ETFO Humanity Fund uses the resources of ETFO members to support children and their teachers around the world, enriching their lives and the lives of their communities. The ETFO Humanity Fund was established in 2003. Since that time it has made donations to numerous charities that support its mission statement.

The signature charity is the Stephen Lewis Foundation, which works with communitylevel organizations turning the tide of HIV and AIDS in Africa.

For most of its history, the ETFO Humanity Fund has been financed through payroll deductions by participating member locals. The Fund is governed by a board of directors made up of members of the provincial Executive, leaders from participating locals and two rank-and-file members of ETFO.

Learn more about the ETFO Humanity Fund at etfo.ca.

Treaties Recognition Week

The first week of November was Treaties Recognition Week, but learning about treaties with your students can happen any time of the year. Treaties are legally binding agreements that set out the rights, responsibilities and relationships of First Nations and the federal and provincial governments. Ontario would not exist without treaties, and it is important for students and educators alike to understand these agreements better. Check out the excellent tools and resources available at etfofnmi.ca

Transgender Day of Remembrance

Each year, ETFO recognizes the International Transgender Day of Remembrance. Transgender Day of Remembrance was started in 1999 by transgender advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith as a vigil to honor the memory of Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was killed in 1998. The day commemorates all the transgender people lost to violence since Rita Hester’s death.

Find resources and a useful tip sheet for ETFO members at etfo.ca.

Resources for Members

ETFO has some great resources to support our members, everything from welcoming and supporting 2SLGBTQ+ families, to lesson plans on white privilege, climate justice and support for the math curriculum. See them all when you login at etfo.ca.