Canada moves to 2% GDP end of FY25/26 - PMMC

[daftandbarmy]

The poor quality ones run as ego supports for some of the leaders, with poor internal governance and little ability to survive and thrive.

And the subject of some non-profit boards enters the chat

 

[dapaterson]

And the subject of some non-profit boards enters the chat

Precisely. I'm part of an organization that's 119 years old and counting because they have a good mix of experienced and new people, and strong enough systems in place to survive (and enough accumulated resources to bridge bad times eg a black swan event like a pandemic).

 

[lenaitch]

All the good intentions in the world can be undone by poor board governance, poor financial management and rogue volunteers.

 

[Kirkhill]

All the good intentions in the world can be undone by poor board governance, poor financial management and rogues....

 

[ytz]

If school teachers really want to make a difference culturally then they would be promoting volunteerism in general rather than worrying about changing the immutable.

Among the million other things you want them to teach kids.....

 

[Brad Sallows]

Among the million other things you want them to teach kids.....

Most of what is "wanted to teach" is faddish notions of Ed profs. It's a curious thing that experimentation on humans who cannot give informed consent is essentially forbidden, except for children.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Most of what is "wanted to teach" is faddish notions of Ed profs. It's a curious thing that experimentation on humans who cannot give informed consent is essentially forbidden, except for children.

To bad "Canadian culture" is a now a toxic subject, volunteering, service to community and country needs to be taught.

 

[ueo]

All the good intentions in the world can be undone by poor board governance, poor financial management and rogue volunteers.

"Road to hell is paved with good intentions." according to my Nana

 

[ytz]

Most of what is "wanted to teach" is faddish notions of Ed profs. It's a curious thing that experimentation on humans who cannot give informed consent is essentially forbidden, except for children.

My wife's a teacher in a needy school. Given class sizes and behavioural issues, she's barely able to teach them the basics day to day. Class of 14, she's got 3 autistic kids and three with serious behaviour issues. On any given day she has 1-2 EAs for support. She's got Grade 1 kids throwing chairs. So the idea that there's plenty of room to teach stuff if only teachers would get off their butts, is pure nonsense.

Teachers these days have to make up for all kinds of failings from parents who haven't taught their kids the basics. The violence in the classroom, against other students and against teachers is unbelievable. And yet parents have literally emailed in, complaining about my wife being too strict, school not being fun enough, etc.

In this environment, which most of the public voted for (all those staffing cuts aren't random), it's kinda hard to imagine that these kids are going to be molded in to model citizens when most of our educators are worried about teaching them basic literacy and enough self-discipline to not end up in Juvi.

 

[ytz]

To bad "Canadian culture" is a now a toxic subject, volunteering, service to community and country needs to be taught.

I'll bring this back to the discussions about mandatory service. In most countries with mandatory service, there's some kind of social contract that is maintained. What is it in Canada? What are you doing for these kids beyond the absolute bare minimum? All I see right now is a worse education, higher class sizes, worse healthcare, higher taxes and higher tuition than I had growing up.

I find a lot of old people in this country absolutely love to complain about young people when they are the very folks who made these young people the way they are. Who raised these kids? Who educated them? They didn't fall from the sky.

Also, I don't know about other provinces. But Ontario has required 40 hrs of community service or participation to graduate high school for over two decades. That most of you didn't know this shows how out of touch some of you are.

 

[lenaitch]

My wife's a teacher in a needy school. Given class sizes and behavioural issues, she's barely able to teach them the basics day to day. Class of 14, she's got 3 autistic kids and three with serious behaviour issues. On any given day she has 1-2 EAs for support. She's got Grade 1 kids throwing chairs. So the idea that there's plenty of room to teach stuff if only teachers would get off their butts, is pure nonsense.

Teachers these days have to make up for all kinds of failings from parents who haven't taught their kids the basics. The violence in the classroom, against other students and against teachers is unbelievable. And yet parents have literally emailed in, complaining about my wife being too strict, school not being fun enough, etc.

In this environment, which most of the public voted for (all those staffing cuts aren't random), it's kinda hard to imagine that these kids are going to be molded in to model citizens when most of our educators are worried about teaching them basic literacy and enough self-discipline to not end up in Juvi.

Sad to say, but the philosophy to integrate disabilities and behavioral issues into mainstream classrooms has largely fallen on teachers without adequate supports.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

I'll bring this back to the discussions about mandatory service. In most countries with mandatory service, there's some kind of social contract that is maintained. What is it in Canada? What are you doing for these kids beyond the absolute bare minimum? All I see right now is a worse education, higher class sizes, worse healthcare, higher taxes and higher tuition than I had growing up.

I find a lot of old people in this country absolutely love to complain about young people when they are the very folks who made these young people the way they are. Who raised these kids? Who educated them? They didn't fall from the sky.

Also, I don't know about other provinces. But Ontario has required 40 hrs of community service or participation to graduate high school for over two decades. That most of you didn't know this shows how out of touch some of you are.

Actually with two daughters just out of high school, a wife teaching and heavy involvement in Cadets, I am acutely aware of the volunteer hours and the significant lack of opportunity for them to get their 30 hrs required here. Because they are minors, they require substantial supervision. The two places in the community that generally offer the most consistent opportunities is Cadets and Churches. However there are just not enough opportunities and supervisors to deal with the demand.

 

[Brad Sallows]

My wife's a teacher in a needy school. Given class sizes and behavioural issues, she's barely able to teach them the basics day to day. Class of 14, she's got 3 autistic kids and three with serious behaviour issues. On any given day she has 1-2 EAs for support. She's got Grade 1 kids throwing chairs. So the idea that there's plenty of room to teach stuff if only teachers would get off their butts, is pure nonsense.

If you're describing a "special needs" school, that's the environment. If you're describing a mainstream school, that's one of the consequences of "faddish notions". I've heard plenty about disruptive kids in classes. They used to be segregated, which meant non-disruptive kids could be gathered in larger classes and learn effectively. Now the latter kids pay a "learning tax" to suit someone's experimentation to try to socialize (unsuccessfully, as it happens) the former kids.

Teachers these days have to make up for all kinds of failings from parents who haven't taught their kids the basics.

Parental discipline is a problem, yes. Again, "faddish notions". Nothing undermines parental authority like "negotiating" with children. "What should we have for dinner?" "Does this colour look good on mommy?" "What breakfast cereal should I buy?" Etc. A close second is parents who think their children have to be participants when adults gather, and have to be closely supervised when children gather.

 

[Kirkhill]

My wife's a teacher in a needy school. Given class sizes and behavioural issues, she's barely able to teach them the basics day to day. Class of 14, she's got 3 autistic kids and three with serious behaviour issues. On any given day she has 1-2 EAs for support. She's got Grade 1 kids throwing chairs. So the idea that there's plenty of room to teach stuff if only teachers would get off their butts, is pure nonsense.

Teachers these days have to make up for all kinds of failings from parents who haven't taught their kids the basics. The violence in the classroom, against other students and against teachers is unbelievable. And yet parents have literally emailed in, complaining about my wife being too strict, school not being fun enough, etc.

In this environment, which most of the public voted for (all those staffing cuts aren't random), it's kinda hard to imagine that these kids are going to be molded in to model citizens when most of our educators are worried about teaching them basic literacy and enough self-discipline to not end up in Juvi.

Back in BC our kids were in grades 1 and 3 when we came back from Indiana. In both places the school boards and Parent Teacher Associations encouraged parents to volunteer. My wife volunteered. She led reading sessions for the youngsters. Until she was informed by the teachers in BC that her efforts were not appreciated. They needed trained professionals for those activities, and for managing sports and music, and for supervising field trips, and for supervising playgrounds and lunch time. Parents just weren't up to the tasks.

So no volunteers.

But equally no money for paid supervision of all those activities.

Therefore no activities.

The kids suffered and the parents enrolled them in privately organized and funded activities after school.

 

[rnkelly]

My wife's a teacher in a needy school. Given class sizes and behavioural issues, she's barely able to teach them the basics day to day. Class of 14, she's got 3 autistic kids and three with serious behaviour issues. On any given day she has 1-2 EAs for support. She's got Grade 1 kids throwing chairs. So the idea that there's plenty of room to teach stuff if only teachers would get off their butts, is pure nonsense.

Teachers these days have to make up for all kinds of failings from parents who haven't taught their kids the basics. The violence in the classroom, against other students and against teachers is unbelievable. And yet parents have literally emailed in, complaining about my wife being too strict, school not being fun enough, etc.

In this environment, which most of the public voted for (all those staffing cuts aren't random), it's kinda hard to imagine that these kids are going to be molded in to model citizens when most of our educators are worried about teaching them basic literacy and enough self-discipline to not end up in Juvi.

Interesting pod cast that discusses these issues.

Carney meets Trump, and kids get abandoned at home

Podcast Episode · The Line · 2025-10-10 · 1h 20m

podcasts.apple.com

 

[KevinB]

If you're describing a "special needs" school, that's the environment. If you're describing a mainstream school, that's one of the consequences of "faddish notions". I've heard plenty about disruptive kids in classes. They used to be segregated, which meant non-disruptive kids could be gathered in larger classes and learn effectively. Now the latter kids pay a "learning tax" to suit someone's experimentation to try to socialize (unsuccessfully, as it happens) the former kids.

Generally the days it is accepted that integrating special needs students is the least disrupt method, and the best for their education. Obviously there are differences between students with learning difficulties, vice behavioral ones. Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be an option to give education in a specialized facility or in specific rooms in a public school setting.

Parental discipline is a problem, yes. Again, "faddish notions". Nothing undermines parental authority like "negotiating" with children. "What should we have for dinner?" "Does this colour look good on mommy?" "What breakfast cereal should I buy?" Etc. A close second is parents who think their children have to be participants when adults gather, and have to be closely supervised when children gather.

The Montessori method would disagree with you. You choice some very black and white examples, but there is a way to engage children in the family life without letting them control things.
What would you like for dinner this week?
Do you have a specific cereal you prefer?

These days depending on the age of the children and depending on the company - one may find better conversation from the children

 

[ytz]

If you're describing a "special needs" school,

Regular school in a poorer area.

Actually with two daughters just out of high school, a wife teaching and heavy involvement in Cadets, I am acutely aware of the volunteer hours and the significant lack of opportunity for them to get their 30 hrs required here.

Weren't you just whining that teachers don't do enough to encourage volunteerism? You should start that discussion at home ....

 

[Kirkhill]

What happens if the School, the physical infrastructure, is treated like community property, like, in fact a community hall and property of the local rate payers rather than the property of the Board of Education?

September to June, Monday to Friday, 8 to 4, it provides a place of instruction for accredited teachers supplied by the Board to teach.

Outside of those times and activities it is available to the local community to use as it sees fit.

 

[Brad Sallows]

Generally the days it is accepted that integrating special needs students is the least disrupt method, and the best for their education.

That might be true for them. It's not best for the education of the non-disruptive students. People who can afford to pull their kids out and put them in private schools do so. It thoroughly defeats the objective of the social engineers to use schools as leveling laboratories. The kids left behind fall further behind. If the intent was to amplify the advantages of kids raised by well-off well-educated parents, it has been achieved.

Obviously there are differences between students with learning difficulties, vice behavioral ones. Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be an option to give education in a specialized facility or in specific rooms in a public school setting.

That was a choice. When I was in school, I knew where the specialized facility was and what it was for.

The Montessori method would disagree with you. You choice some very black and white examples, but there is a way to engage children in the family life without letting them control things.

The example is parents who overdo it. There is a saying "school is too late". Incalculable and irreversible damage is done by poor parenting during the pre-school years.

Stuff that works for post-secondary-educated parents with kids of above average intelligence in harmonious households doesn't work well all the way up and down the deciles.

 

[Brad Sallows]

What happens if the School, the physical infrastructure, is treated like community property, like, in fact a community hall and property of the local rate payers rather than the property of the Board of Education?

September to June, Monday to Friday, 8 to 4, it provides a place of instruction for accredited teachers supplied by the Board to teach.

Outside of those times and activities it is available to the local community to use as it sees fit.

It already isn't difficult for some community groups to use school property.