Election '21 - Why isn't education being discussed this election? Starting a national conversation with Canadian Teachers' Federation President Sam Hammond

Episode 9 September 07, 2021 00:31:03
Election '21 - Why isn't education being discussed this election? Starting a national conversation with Canadian Teachers' Federation President Sam Hammond
inFocus with David Coletto
Election '21 - Why isn't education being discussed this election? Starting a national conversation with Canadian Teachers' Federation President Sam Hammond

Sep 07 2021 | 00:31:03

/

Show Notes

This week, millions of students across Canada will be going back to school and education and our education system will be top of mind to millions of parents and educators.

There’s no doubt the pandemic has had a profound impact on children. It has put many of their parents out of work, surrounded their homes in grief and anxiety, and kept them out of schools that teach and care for them. It has been a very lonely time for Canadian children.

With two weeks left to go in the federal election campaign, I wonder, why haven’t heard more about education on the campaign trail.

On this episode of inFocus, I’m joined by Sam Hammond, the President of the Canadian Teachers Federation. Sam just started his two-year term as the Federation's president in July 2021. Prior, Sam was President of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario. He has taught all grades from JK to grade eight and was an instructor in the Labour Studies Program at McMaster University. The Canadian Teachers Federation represents over 300,000 elementary and secondary school teachers across Canada.

Sam and I spoke about the role of public education in federal politics, some polling Abacus Data did for the Federation, and what he’s hoping to hear from federal parties and candidates in the final weeks of the campaign.

Other Episodes

Episode 7

August 31, 2021 00:09:52
Episode Cover

Election '21 Briefing - We are statistically tied. Back to the 2019 electorate?

Week 3 begins and we have a very tight race. Abacus Data CEO shares the key findings from his firm's latest survey in this...

Listen

Episode 11

March 17, 2021 00:38:36
Episode Cover

inFocus on Happiness in Canada - How we measure it and why it matters

In 2011, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution that recognized happiness as a “fundamental human goal” and called for “a more inclusive, equitable...

Listen

Episode 10

May 03, 2021 00:39:17
Episode Cover

inFocus about mobilizing action on climate change like during wartime

On this episode of inFocus, I’m joined by author and activist Seth Klein. Last year, Seth’s book A Good War: Mobilizing Canada for the...

Listen