The ministers of the province's largest ministries were both given sweeping mandates to roll out significant -- and potentially controversial -- changes.
After a sweeping and emphatic victory in the 2018 provincial election, effectively wiping the Ontario Liberals off the political map, Premierhad a clear message for his ministers of health and education: it was time for dramatic change.
“Repeal discovery math and work with education experts to replace this failed ideological experiment with a math curriculum that teaches the building blocks needed for a successful future,” Ford told his new education minister.A classroom is shown in Scarborough, Ont., on Monday, September 14, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette.Instead, the minister was directed to concentrate on a key metric — standardized math test scores — and to reverse the decline.
While the mandate letter also instructed the education minister to “increase supports for students in the classroom,” the document doesn’t offer specific instruction on what types of supports the ministry was intended to invest in. It just mentioned a larger $3.8 billion mental health services budget.
Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott takes part in a media availability with Premier Doug Ford and fellow members of their cabinet ahead of meetings with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Ottawa on Thursday, March 12, 2020.“The administration of health in Ontario has undergone several large changes in recent years … report back with additional reforms to help invest precious health-care dollars in front line care instead of back room administration,” the mandate latter read.
OHIP+, a late-stage policy by the former Liberal government that made prescription medication free for anyone 25 and under, became an early target for the Ford government. Even the instructions on ending hallway medicine, a significant problem plaguing Ontario’s hospitals and one Ford promised to fix, focused on delivering a health-care system that is “efficient, patient focused, cutting edge, and world class.”
Ontario Premier Doug Ford makes a funding announcement for a new hospital in Windsor, Ontario on Monday, October 18, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Geoff Robins.Renew math education in Ontario. Repeal discovery math and work with education experts to replace this failed ideological experiment with a math curriculum that teaches the building blocks needed for a successful future. Ensure mathematics is a focus throughout the education system, including financial literacy in secondary schools.
Increase supports for students in the classroom, specifically by working with the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care to implement our promise of investing $3.8 billion into mental health services. Fulfill our promise to invest $3.8 billion in mental health, addictions and supportive housing. Work with your fellow Cabinet colleagues to properly invest the money in initiatives such as supports for students, investments in post-secondary institutions, proper housing for those with mental health issues, and resources for our police and frontline emergency workers.
Review the scope of practice throughout the health-care system to ensure that our healthcare professionals are being used to the best of their abilities. This should not just include reviewing regulatory restrictions on the levels of care each type of healthcare professional can provide, but what type of setting or institution this care should be provided in. Include proper consultation with doctors as part of this work.
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