Stephen Adler
On June 12, voters in Ontario will go to the polls to elect the province’s 41st legislature. While federal elections tend to generate more interest, in many ways provincial elections have a greater impact on the daily lives of Ontarians – including members of our community.
Many would be shocked to learn that tens of thousands of Jewish Ontarians live in poverty. Indeed, our community includes a large number of at-risk individuals, such as children from low-income households, seniors (including Holocaust survivors), new Canadians, and those challenged with disabilities. Their quality of life depends on receiving essential services from provincially funded programs, which Jewish communal agencies access.
In the face of budget constraints facing governments in general, it’s critical that we make a strong case for the value of well-funded ethno-specific service providers such as Jewish Family and Child (JF&CS), Jewish Immigrant Aid Services (JIAS) and others. This is why the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) has assembled a coalition of interfaith and inter-ethnic partners speaking with one voice to ensure continued funding for our community agencies. Community-based agencies can deliver unique, client-focused services, which, for various reasons, governments cannot deliver as effectively or efficiently.
For many in our community, one issue continues to be top of mind in the lead-up to Ontario elections: provincial funding to alleviate the costs of day school tuition. We acknowledge the apprehensions Ontarians have toward the funding of faith-based schools. While such concerns tend not to be directed toward the Jewish community, we understand that Ontarians are wary of funding faith-based schools that might adhere to lower standards than those of the public system or, worse, include curricula contrary to Canadian values.
We believe the next provincial government should consider ways in which it can better support a variety of schools outside the public system. This is particularly the case when it comes to essential public services that have nothing to do with religious curricula. Day school students with identified special needs do not qualify for the same services that they would receive in the public system. A student in need of speech and language therapy, to cite one example, should enjoy the same access to services regardless of whether they attend public or private school. Unfortunately, this is an unfair discrepancy that continues to prove costly for those families having no choice but to make up the difference out-of-pocket.
Whatever issues are most important to your family, our collective voice will only be heard through active engagement in the democratic process. Despite our relatively small size, our community has always had an impact beyond our numbers. Moreover, we are a community large in geography, with active communal leaders across Ontario. I encourage readers to contact CIJA’s local leadership in the GTA, Ottawa, Hamilton, or in other areas via the Regional Jewish Communities of Ontario. For details on getting involved in local advocacy efforts, visit www.cija.ca.
In addition to voting, I encourage you to get involved beyond the ballot box. Meet your local candidates and let them know your priorities. If you feel strongly about a particular party, but have never taken an active political role, consider volunteering, attending a campaign event, putting up a lawn sign or donating to your local candidate. You will be doing your part to uphold our community’s long tradition of civic engagement.
Stephen Adler is associate director of Ontario government relations at the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs.