YOUR FEDER ATION - ANNUAL MEE TING 2023


SOCIAL JUSTICE SPEAKER PAUL TAYLOR


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GENERAL SECRETARY’S REPORT – SHARON O’HALLORAN


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TFO General Secretary Sharon O’Halloran delivered her supple- mentary report to the Annual Meet- ing on Tuesday morning. In the re-


port, she provided a synopsis of the financial management, membership details, and the programs and services offered to members to support them in their professional lives. She spoke about ETFO’s work to evaluate and adapt the efforts of the organization to improve the work lives of ETFO members. “You are the face of the union,” O’Halloran


concluded. “Without you, ETFO would not be the largest leading education union in this country. As we gear up for next steps in bar- gaining, it is this strength that will guide us,” she said. “For the past 25 years, ETFO mem- bers have proven time and time again that by working through problems as a collective we are better, and we are stronger. We cannot and should not lose sight of this.”


36 ETFO VOICE | FALL 2023


ong-time activist, non-profit leader, educator, and media commentator Paul Taylor was this year’s social justice speaker. In his address to the


ETFO Annual Meeting, he shared his jour- ney for social justice, and reflected on two political campaigns in which he ran federally. Taylor began by saying that he wanted


to share a few words about being a queer Black man working to make the world a bet- ter place, noting the importance not only of organizing together, but also of taking care of ourselves and our communities, and of prioritizing joy and rest. He spoke about standing on the shoulders of those who came before him – including his mother, grand- mother, and great-grandmother – who en- couraged, guided, and taught him to become the activist he is today. Reflecting on his work and his commu-


nity he concluded, “Te obstacles we face are great, but I truly believe that better is


possible. My commitment to advocating for better means never sliding into complacency. Te status quo isn’t inevitable. Let’s make our ancestors proud by doing all that we can with the baton that they passed us.”


REPORT OF OTF PRESIDENT NATHAN CORE


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ntario Teachers’ Federation (OTF) President Nathan Core spoke about how OTF has led the fight for teacher profession-


alism and high-quality public education for over 75 years. He provided a pension update and discussed the important issue of teacher shortages having an impact on the work of teachers and education workers. “We continue to advocate for good qual-


ity public education,” said Core, noting that “there are individuals in the Conservative party who see privatization of education as a goal.” As part of its advocacy, over the last year


the OTF published two reports: Paul Bock- ing’s Schools, Austerity & Privatization in the Pandemic Era and Te Implications of Virtual Teaching and Learning in Ontario’s Publicly Funded Schools, K-12 by Lisa Bayrami. Both reports are available on the OTF website.


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