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Dominik Kurek

Insidehalton.com
Date Published: Monday, May 14, 2012
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While making the rounds with visits to various GTA municipalities Friday, Ontario Minister of Education Laurel Broten stopped by the Oakville Beaver office to chat about school issues.

The ministry is currently working to get the Ontario Legislature to pass Bill 13, also known as the Accepting Schools Act, before the summer break, so that the new rules can take effect for the new school year in September.

The anti-bullying bill is currently before committee awaiting its third reading.

The private member’s bill has caused a clash between the Liberals who brought it forward and the Progressive Conservatives who had their own anti-bullying bill, Bill 14, which also passed second reading.

The major difference between the two appears to be the ability of students in Bill 13 to start their own clubs and organizations to have conversations, whether it’s about issues involving race, gender, sexual orientation, amongst other things.

Despite the resignation of Elizabeth Witmer, the PC MPP who brought Bill 14 to Legislature, Broten said, “I still believe there’s very good advice in Bill 14,” she said.

“I look to incorporate that in Bill 13, but one of the key components in Bill 13 is obviously a structure that allows students to start their own clubs and organizations to have conversations, whether it’s about issues involving race, gender, sexual orientation, amongst other things.”