Liberals look online for policy suggestions, but may not green light most popular ones

Some Ontario Liberal activists are calling for an end to public funding of Catholic schools, improvements to the recognition of foreign professional credentials, and a boost to children's mental health services.

Thestar.com
Nov. 6, 2017
By Robert Benzie

Some Ontario Liberal activists are calling for an end to public funding of Catholic schools, improvements to the recognition of foreign professional credentials, and a boost to children's mental health services.

In a non-binding online policy-making exercise - known as "Common Ground" - launched by the governing party last weekend, those three ideas have the greatest support.

While amalgamating schools under one non-secular board is always popular fodder for such internet policy appeals, it would require a constitutional amendment to end publicly funded Catholic education in Ontario.

"This is an issue whose time has come. If the Liberal Party of Ontario were to include this in their policy platform, they could win the next election in a landslide," said one commentator on the party's new website.

"Enough with publicly funded religious schools, especially when it is only one specific religion that gets this unfair privilege," said another commentator, adding "all publicly funded schools should be secular."

But another countered that efforts should be made to make the existing system better instead of blowing it up.

"Why not focus on how to improve them, rather than creating massive disruption for the students and families in all our schools who would be effective by the change you suggest," the commentator said

"Amalgamating municipalities was a costly and ineffective exercise that almost everyone agreed was a disaster."

With an election set for June 7, 2018, the Liberals, who have been in office for 14 years, are again turning to grassroots members for policy ideas.

It's a reprise of what they did in September 2013 before the last election.

"We want everyone to have their say when it comes to our next steps in building a fairer, stronger Ontario for everyone. People have great ideas and I'm excited to hear them," Premier Kathleen Wynne said Saturday.

Wynne noted that the party's current policies - such as increasing the $11.60 hourly minimum wage to $14 in January and $15 the year after that and free pharmacare for those 24 years and under - "are the result of a progressive and inclusive political movement built from the ground up."

"Common Ground is one tool that will continue that open and collaborative engagement," she said.

According to the website, Liberals would also like to see foreign credentials more quickly recognized and children with mental health issues "receive high quality treatment close to home within 30 days" of being diagnosed.

Other items in the jam-packed online suggestion box include free textbooks for university and college students, improved dental care for seniors, and "name-blind resumes" to ensure job applicants are not discriminated against.

Voting on the Liberal site is open through December and, according to the party, the top proposals "will be discussed and refined further" but "not all ideas that are popular in phase one will automatically advance to phase two."

"If an idea is contrary to the values or principles of the Ontario Liberal Party, then it won't advance," the Grits said.

Patrick Brown's Progressive Conservatives are also doing an online survey of members for policy ideas.

The Tories' voting concludes this week in time to be tabulated for the party's conference in Toronto on Nov. 25.