Ontario's major teachers' unions have welcomed the change in education minister in a cabinet reshuffle and expressed hope it signals a new direction for education reform in Ontario. The government of Prime Minister Doug Ford.
Stephen Lecce, who has served as education minister since 2019, is now minister of energy and electrification as part of a cabinet reshuffle Ford announced Thursday after two rounds of collective bargaining with teachers and educators.
Lecce will swap positions with Todd Smith, who has held a number of cabinet posts, including energy minister, and before that spent seven years in opposition representing the eastern Ontario riding that is now the Bay of Quinte.
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The Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario said it was ready to work with Smith after six years of being “misled, ignored and underestimated by Minister Lecce.”
Karen Littlewood, president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation, said education issues are indeed difficult to resolve, but she wishes Smith would be more willing to have formal talks with her.
Smith does not have to face the arduous task of contract negotiations, and the agreement reached under Lecce's leadership will last until after the next election, but the union says schools, teachers and students need more funding and support.
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