TORONTO – In the midst of a thousand unknowns in a week in Ontario schools reopen. The uncertainty about what this school year will be weighs on parents, children, teachers, school staff. Online or face-to-face lessons, protocols – still unclear – to follow, vaccinations, a wave of Covid, the fourth, which generates anxiety and now also the problem of federal elections. 

This will be the main theme of tomorrow tonight’s extraordinary meeting called by five school trustees of the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB): the trustees will have to urgently discuss the question of whether or not it is advisable for the Catholic school board of Toronto to allow Elections Canada to use some Catholic schools in the city as polling stations on September 20.

Before the pandemic, schools across Canada, including those at the TCDSB, were historically used as polling stations in federal, provincial and municipal elections but now the music has changed. Due to the ongoing pandemic and concerns caused by the super-contagious Delta variant, it is feared that it may not be advisable for schools, without restrictions, to be used as polling stations in the upcoming federal elections. The coming and going of people who will go to schools – attended for less than two weeks by the boys – does not seem to be a good idea. Far from it.

The dreaded virus – which we try to keep out of school buildings with difficulty – could enter it. And it could easily infect students when they return to the hallways and gyms that were used as polling stations, in the following days.

However, the Ministry of Education has the authority, under Section 305(1) of the Education Act, to regulate access to schools. Protecting children’s health must be the priority even if the god of money – the board would receive a large sum of money from the government – could make them decide to take the risk. After all, in danger is put “only” the health of children. The problem of elections in schools will therefore be discussed tomorrow evening: how to ensure the safety of children and what further measures should be taken to protect them, are the key questions that need a valid answer in the absence of which we should say no to polling stations in schools.

And of protection of the health of children and safety and measures to combat Covid-19, in this particular and delicate situation, spoke the Chief Medical Officer of Health of Ontario Kieran Moore in the letter sent to the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada Stéphane Perrault. Moore recommends that only schools that meet certain conditions be considered by the superintendents and Elections Canada to establish polling stations, particularly in elementary schools. The main requirements listed are: a direct path to the point where the polling station is located, separate entrances and the possibility of keeping students (including children in kindergartens located in schools) and staff separated from the public.

“The department of facilities is currently analyzing the TCDSB’s school locations to determine the number of buildings that could meet the conditions recommended by Dr. Moore,” reads the Catholic board’s agenda.

The provinces of Manitoba and New Brunswick have so far responded negatively to the request to host polling stations in their schools, while Alberta has announced that the decision whether or not to allow polling stations in its schools will have to be taken by local authorities. After all, this is an “operational issue”.

And tomorrow evening, in addition to the Catholic school board of Toronto, the Ottawa Carleton District School Board will also hold a meeting during which the motion of the trustee Lyra Evans will be presented to make Covid-19 vaccines mandatory for all teachers, staff and volunteers in schools. The vaccine node is at this moment, without a shadow of a doubt, at the centre of discussions.

Under a legal option, the Ottawa Carleton District School Board “has the authority to require staff to be vaccinated to attend the workplace.” During the meeting the trustees will also vote on a motion to make masks mandatory for all children attending the Kindergarten.

Meanwhile, the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board (DPCDSB) has already approved the motion asking the Province of Ontario to make Covid-19 vaccination mandatory for all staff, eligible students and school visitors. The ISPA (Immunization of Schools Pupils Act), would therefore include this vaccine within its mandatory immunization program. Chair Sharon Hobin has written to the Minister of Education Lecce formally asking that immunization is no longer optional: first dose no later than September 30, full vaccination by October 30.