the

Accepting Schools Act

was introduced by the Liberal government in November 2011; it’s currently undergoing second reading in the Legislative Assembly. If passed, the Act will amend the Education Act with respect to bullying. The government believes that the Bill is required for a number of reasons:

1. “Education plays a critical role in preparing young people to grow up as productive, contributing and constructive citizens in the diverse society of Ontario;

2. “All students should feel safe at school and deserve a positive school climate that is inclusive and accepting, regardless of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, family status or disability;

3. “A healthy, safe and inclusive learning environment where all students feel accepted is a necessary condition for student success;

4. “Students cannot be expected to reach their full potential in an environment where they feel insecure or intimidated;

5. “Students need to be equipped with the knowledge, skills, attitude and values to engage the world and others critically, which means developing a critical consciousness that allows them to take action on making their schools and communities more equitable and inclusive for all people, including LGBTTIQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, transsexual, two-spirited, intersexed, queer and questioning) people.”

As you can see, beyond the anti-bullying rhetoric, there’s a political correctness LGBT agenda which the Bill is promoting. Phil Lees, the leader of the Family Coalition Party, raises a number of serious concerns about this Bill. Parents who want to control their children’s moral education and protect their parental rights should see the video in this blog entry and be pro-active. We would urge all those concerned to watch the video and then visit the FCP website. Click on to the link Bill 13 to find out what we can do to fight this misguided proposed legislation before it becomes law. Also, the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada has posted an open letter to help readers write to their MPPs about the issue.

Should Bill 13 pass as it stands, it will then be next to impossible to change or withdraw it. Everyday for Life Canada is grateful to the Family Coalition Party and the EFC for providing this timely service for the community.