Province orders investigation into $32K conference in Hawaii

Bryce says ‘bigotry’ the reason for criticism of Indigenous educators trip

Heather Wright/The Independent

A trustee of the Lambton-Kent District School Board says she sees “nothing wrong” with a $32,000 conference for three Indigenous educators in Hawaii.

CBC News reports documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show three educators travelled to Hawaii in January for a conference. In a statement, the Lambton-Kent District School Board confirmed the trip saying “we maintain the quality of our staff by investing in them.”

The board would not provide the detailed information, saying The Independent would need to file its own application under the Freedom of Information Act for the already released information.

The statement continues the conference provided ” LKDSB Indigenous Education staff with the invaluable, once-in-a-career opportunity to elevate their professional development and actively contribute to the ongoing growth and improvement of The Lambton-Kent District School Board. “

The conference included “unique land-based learning experiences on the island and had the rare opportunity to connect with and learn from esteemed Elders.

“This positioned the conference as a transformative experience that shaped the future of Indigenous education in our community and the Indigenous educational opportunities for our students.”

The conference made waves in Queen’s Park. And it’s not the first time conference and travel expenses have raised a furor. The Premier ordered an investigation in the Thames Valley School Board’s travel expenses after a $16,000 Toronto Blue Jays outing for staff became public earlier this fall.

Sarnia-Lambton MPP Bob Bailey says the Premier ordered an investigation into travel expenses at Ontario’s school boards. “We expect, as the government, that the money that’s going to these school boards will be spent on students and teachers and programs, not on expensive trips or getaways,” Bailey is quoted as saying in the Sarnia Observer.

Bryce – one of two elected trustees on the Indigenous Liaison Committee which approved the conference spending along with senior administration – took offence to Bailey’s comments.

“He’s assuming something that has – that investigation still going on, and I think that’s quite inappropriate,” Bryce said in reference to the provincial investigation.

And Bryce says she and Trustee Roberta Northmore, who represents Lambton-Kent’s four Indigenous Nations at the board table, knew and approved of the conference.

“All professional development is appropriate. I see nothing wrong,” she said.

And Bryce questions the motivation behind MPPs comments.

“I just say that since 1995 this ugly, ugly head of bigotry rises in in Ontario, and I just think that we should not be fuelling problems here,” she says.

The Independent asked Bryce if the concern about the conference has more to do with race than how much this cost.

“If Bob Bailey talks talks about something that hasn’t been investigated yet, yes,” Bryce replied.

“The government allocates so many dollars for Indigenous education…those dollars were for professional development and workshops and whatever. We have four First Nations(as) part of our board; we’re working on the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission on bringing healing through education to our First Nations peoples in this area, and we’re acting appropriately.”

Bailey “rejects out of hand” Bryce’s assertion of bigotry saying the province is concerned after a number of the trips have come to light. He says the audits are not about the people, but about the board’s spending decisions.

“It’s about the principle about spending this money on these trips…It’s not about this, the issue the Indigenous Studies at all. It’s about the judgment of the different boards across the province in both the public and the Catholic school system with their questionable spending. So we’ll see what the audit turns up. But I totally reject the other hand question about racism,” the MPP added.

Bailey says Education Minister Jill Dunlop had staffers look into the conference. “It’s her understanding…that the training could have been available here in Canada.”