Former Mayor Larry Di Ianni and Mr. Ecklund's daughter Erika

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LARRY'S CORNER- Hamilton's Former Mayor Speaks

former Mayor of Hamilton, Larry Di IanniRedeemer College University: A Deserving Member of Hamilton’s Education City

By Larry Di Ianni
(posted August 24, 2009)

One of my proudest initiatives, and I have the plaque to prove it, was beginning a city dialogue on the importance of education to our community.   It was called “Hamilton: Education City”.  The symposium featured all or most of our city’s representative educational leaders.  McMaster, as the jewel in the crown, Mohawk as a college of great repute, the various school boards and the private institutions: Redeemer College University, Hillfield-Strathallan, Columbia College, College Boreal, and others round out the diverse educational excellence we have to offer.  Most students attend the public system, but because of religion, affordability, language or other factors, some students study at excellent private venues.  They all count; and they should all be appreciated.  Even students who attend the private schools come from Hamilton in large numbers; and their parents pay taxes locally and all of them probably pay taxes provincially and federally as well.  What differentiates the public from the private schools is their funding source.  I believe very strongly that taxpayer money to operate these schools should only go to the public systems of education; and recently a provincial election was won on just that principle. 

It has been reported recently that Redeemer College/University and another private school in northern Ontario have each received infrastructure money to build some capital venues.  In Redeemer’s case, some soccer fields, including an indoor arena are being subsidized by the provincial taxpayer.  Does this fly in the face of the ‘public only’ limitations the last provincial election was fought over?

At least one taxpayer from Collingwood thinks so.  His name is Lorne Kenney and he unsuccessfully ran for Council in that community in 2006.  Now, he and his group, “Citizens for Public Infrastructure” believe that provincial money is being spent on ‘crazy’ projects.  Here is what a sympathizer is quoted as saying:

Bev Taylor, a member of the group and a resident of the Town of Blue Mountains, summed it up as follows: “If provincial and federal governments are giving away money to the wrong people in this corner of the country, it may be going on elsewhere too. All it needs is the veil of not-for-profit status and an MP who is prepared to push the limits past the breaking point and our taxes start going to crazy things.”

Never mind that Mr. Kenney may be trying to get himself in the news for political reasons.  Never mind that groups are formed at the drop of a hat as many Hamiltonians have discovered as the same people often create these single issue identities for themselves.  Never mind that the speaker above may never have visited Hamilton, let alone Redeemer College, but to suggest that soccer fields regardless of where they may be located are ‘crazy’ projects, defies credulity.  These two people are either delusional or very, very unhappy souls.  What is surprising is that their online petition has garnered close to 400 signatures so far.  I hope none is from Hamilton.

Redeemer College University is well immersed in our community.  Its outgoing President, Dr. Justin Cooper is one of the most decent community-minded individuals I met during my tenure in the city.  He is always concerned about his school and his students, but so too about the city and his neighbourhood.  Collaboration between the school and the city has been ongoing, including spending local money on street reconstruction to facilitate the expansion program at the school.  Add the school’s stellar reputation to the fact that the soccer facilities will be made available to the general public and you have a great fit in terms of spending public infrastructure money on very sound programs.   This is hardly the same as spending ‘operational’ dollars to fund private schools as the provincial Progressive Conservatives argued during the last election.  It is all about spending stimulus dollars on infrastructure needed by the greater community.   I am pleased the school is getting grants, and very pleased the mayor as well as the local Minister support the allocation.  Redeemer deserves no less.

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