Partner Blog: Ontario Catholic Teachers Association

The OLIP Interns had the absolute pleasure of meeting Peter MacDonald and Filomena Ferraro from the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association (OECTA), an incredibly important partner of our program.

In kind with their initiative as teachers, the meeting was a fantastic learning experience for us. We were able to discuss a broad range of important aspects of their work, from their approach to government relations to the role that the Catholic School System plays in supporting the education of Ontarians across the province. They emphasized the critical role that relationship-building plays in advocacy, explaining the necessity of an active, inclusive approach to engagement to ensure that their interests and concerns are communicated effectively. 

The OECTA takes pride in representing the almost 45,000 teachers across Ontario who work in the English Catholic school system. Taking a values-based approach to education, OECTA prioritizes the incorporation of empathy, resilience, and respect into their teaching methods. They advocate for the welfare of both teachers and students which, as Peter and Filomena explained to us, are fundamentally interlinked. OECTA passionately promotes the principles of Catholic education, strongly supporting efforts to achieve social and economic justice.

The OECTA has represented teachers in Ontario’s Catholic schools since 1944, and its members teach more than half a million students in over 1300 Catholic schools throughout the province. In addition to advocacy, OECTA leads collective bargaining and contract management, member counselling and legal support services, as well as professional development and leadership training. 

On behalf of all the interns in the Ontario Legislature Internship Programme, we would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to Peter, Filamena, and the entire OECTA for their incredibly generous support. Thank you for the wonderful meeting and thank you for your partnership!